Camping with Dobermans
Hello all, were new to rving,supposed to pick up our TT on Saturday. We started talking about getting a camper early last year when my oldest dog started slowing down and we didn’t want to leave her ...
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I would also point out that most problems aren't due to "aggression". Bat-dog is not aggressive. She is afraid. Her fear is what drives her. If she feels threatened or cornered, she will react first think later. So making sure she doesn't feel threatened or cornered is my job.
Eye contact is a big one for her. It's too intense for her. I have a friend who joins us camping a lot. This friend had a dog as a kid, but has never been around them otherwise. When they first met, Bat-dog barked at her. My friend barked back jokingly. Bat-dog did not approve. For years, Bat-dog would not go near my friend and would bark non-stop at her. I kept giving my friend suggestions on how to approach and be around Bat-dog. She often felt she was completely hopeless around dogs. It took a long time, but my friend has learned a lot. Now, Bat-dog will let her scratch the tummy and doesn't bark at her constantly. Sometimes, I will hear my friend say "oh I'm sorry, I looked at you". Bat-dog will even lay her head on my friend's leg. My friend is no longer afraid of Bat-dog because she understands how HER actions affect Bat-dog. And she can approach other dogs with more self-assurance because she can better read the dog's signals. Fortunately, through it all, she has had Moose-dog who thinks it's his his job to protect and keep her safe. But even with him, she had to learn to talk to him - let him know when she was just going away for a moment or actually leaving because he would stand guard waiting for her to return for hours.
Last year, I was listening to the radio and they mentioned a new study with dogs. I texted my friend the results and she said "oh yes they do!" . The study found that dogs hold grudges...
Eye contact is a big one for her. It's too intense for her. I have a friend who joins us camping a lot. This friend had a dog as a kid, but has never been around them otherwise. When they first met, Bat-dog barked at her. My friend barked back jokingly. Bat-dog did not approve. For years, Bat-dog would not go near my friend and would bark non-stop at her. I kept giving my friend suggestions on how to approach and be around Bat-dog. She often felt she was completely hopeless around dogs. It took a long time, but my friend has learned a lot. Now, Bat-dog will let her scratch the tummy and doesn't bark at her constantly. Sometimes, I will hear my friend say "oh I'm sorry, I looked at you". Bat-dog will even lay her head on my friend's leg. My friend is no longer afraid of Bat-dog because she understands how HER actions affect Bat-dog. And she can approach other dogs with more self-assurance because she can better read the dog's signals. Fortunately, through it all, she has had Moose-dog who thinks it's his his job to protect and keep her safe. But even with him, she had to learn to talk to him - let him know when she was just going away for a moment or actually leaving because he would stand guard waiting for her to return for hours.
Last year, I was listening to the radio and they mentioned a new study with dogs. I texted my friend the results and she said "oh yes they do!" . The study found that dogs hold grudges...
